Labour’s pledge to reduce food prices and launch an inquiry into supermarket pricing is a key plank in its promise to impose a living wage.

The trouble is the justification for such an imposition, espoused during the Labour leadership battle, does not exist, economics editor Rob Hosking writes in today’s National Business Review print edition – with food prices are increasing at low levels and the last time they increased faster than the average wage was September 2008.

The NBR Rich Lister Huljich family is investing in software-as-a-service company Results.com, which hopes to list in 2015.

Unlike the Mighty River Power float, investors will have access to independent research before deciding whether to take Meridian shares. Business reporter David Williams reports one set of research will come from a former Meridian insider.

Ad Media reporter Victoria Young picks up the curious case of the publisher of several business-to-business magazines who is struggling to pay its staff – except the receptionist.

Business editor Duncan Bridgeman reports not everyone at NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants is convinced a proposed amalgamation with their Australian counterparts should go ahead.

Meanwhile, Georgina Bond identifies some of a new crop of female directors entering the boardroom much earlier than their colleagues, as pressure builds for boards to be mindful of gender diversity.

Telecommunications Users’ Association chief executive Paul Brislen weighs in on the Chorus-ultrafast broadband debate – and what New Zealanders will get for an extra $600 million.